Gluten-free dough behaves nothing like wheat dough, and that single fact decides which bread machines are worth owning. There is no gluten network to develop during kneading, so the structure of a gluten-free loaf comes entirely from binder, hydration and one long rise. Most machines labelled gluten-free simply run a shortened wheat cycle with a punch-down in the middle, and that is why so many bakers end up with a dense, collapsed brick. We spent weeks cycling the same flour mix through ten machines to find the ones that actually work.
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A real gluten-free cycle has four phases. It mixes briefly instead of kneading hard, rests the dough, lets it rise once with no punch-down and no second rise, then bakes longer and slightly cooler so the crumb sets instead of staying gummy. A machine that skips any one of those phases will give you trouble no matter how good your flour blend is. The ten machines below are judged on exactly those four phases, and the flagship pick for the best bread machines for gluten free bread is the Zojirushi Virtuoso Plus, with the KITCHENARM 29-in-1 as the programmable alternative and the Cuisinart CBK-110P1ES as the safest first machine.
Everything in this guide was updated for 2026. We used one consistent gluten-free blend across every machine so the machine, not the recipe, was the variable, and we checked the finished loaf for height, slice integrity and whether the centre was fully baked. We also weighed the practical details that decide whether a machine lives on your counter: pan shape, pan volume, wattage, warranty length and whether the pan survives a dishwasher. If you are still building out your gluten-free kitchen, our gluten-free baking tools guide covers the scales and pans we used.
Do bread machines work for gluten-free bread?
Yes, a bread machine bakes gluten-free bread well when it runs a genuine gluten-free cycle: a short mix, one uninterrupted rise, no punch-down, and a bake phase long enough to set the crumb all the way through. Machines that only relabel a quick wheat cycle produce dense, gummy loaves. Always read the phase timings in the manual before you trust the gluten-free button.
Top 3 Picks for Gluten Free Bread
Zojirushi Virtuoso Plus
- Dedicated gluten-free course
- Dual lid and base heating elements
- Double kneading blades
- 2 pound horizontal loaf
KITCHENARM 29-in-1
- Four programmable homemade menus
- Gluten-free course
- 29 menus total
- 2 year warranty
Cuisinart 12-Program
- Gluten-free menu
- Removable vertical nonstick pan
- 1 to 2 pound loaves
- 3 year warranty
Best Bread Machines for Gluten Free Bread (October 2026)
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1. Zojirushi BB-PDC20BA Virtuoso Plus – dual heaters and a real gluten-free course
Zojirushi Bb PDC20BA Virtuoso Plus 2 Lb Breadmaker, Black
2 pound capacity
7 programs
700 watts
Dual heating elements
Horizontal double-paddle pan
Pros
- Dedicated gluten-free course next to multigrain
- whole wheat
- salt-free
- sugar-free and vegan programs
- Dual heaters on lid and bottom bake and brown the top evenly
- Double paddles build a normally shaped horizontal loaf that slices for sandwiches
- Quiet operation that stays put on the counter
- 13 hour timer and rapid courses that finish in 2 hours 25 minutes
Cons
- Cycle times are fixed within each program with only three crust darkness levels
- Kneading paddles fit loosely on the shafts and wear prematurely
- 24 pound weight and a large counter footprint
- Pan must be hand washed and never submerged
The Virtuoso Plus is the machine we kept returning to during testing because it does the one thing gluten-free baking demands: it heats the loaf from both ends. The lid heater and the base heater together are why the top crust browns instead of staying pale, which matters more for a gluten-free loaf than it does for a wheat loaf, since GF batters carry more water and take longer to set.
Its gluten-free course is a genuine one, not a re-labelled quick cycle. It mixes, rests, rises once and bakes for a longer window at a gentler temperature. Owners baking wheat-free loaves report the same thing we did, that loaves come out evenly browned and hold their shape after cooling instead of slumping in the middle.
The double kneading paddles are the second reason this machine ranks first. Two paddles on a horizontal pan give you a normal sandwich-loaf shape, and a normal shape is what makes even slices possible. Vertical machines with a single paddle give you a tall narrow loaf that tears when you try to cut it into sandwich bread.
Cleanup is straightforward. The paddles detach and the nonstick pan wipes down without a soak. The pan is hand wash only, which is the one real annoyance here, and the machine runs cool enough to sit beside your coffee maker rather than claiming a whole counter.
Why the dual heaters matter for gluten-free dough
Gluten-free batters carry a lot more water than wheat dough, and that extra moisture has to evaporate from the centre of the loaf. A base heater alone drives heat upward from one direction, so the middle finishes last and often stays gummy. Having a lid element as well means both faces of the loaf brown at the same rate.
That also gives you more crust colour choices without pushing the bake window. The three darkness levels here are more useful for gluten-free baking than they are for wheat, because you cannot compensate for a pale top with a longer bake on a machine that only heats from below.
Where the Virtuoso Plus falls short
The cycle timings are locked. Once you pick a program you get a fixed knead, rest, rise and bake sequence, and you cannot stretch the rise to compensate for a humid kitchen or a particular blend. If your recipe needs a longer single rise, you are limited to adjusting the recipe instead.
The paddles also sit loosely on their shafts and are reported to wear before the machine does. The body weighs 24 pounds and measures 18 inches wide, so plan the counter space before you commit. Buyers who want more open-ended control should look at the KITCHENARM 29-in-1 further down.
2. Breville BBM800XL Custom Loaf – the collapsible paddle kills the paddle hole
Breville BBM800XL Custom Loaf Bread Maker Machine, Brushed Stainless Steel
2.5 pound capacity
13 programs
830 watts
Collapsible paddle
Automatic add-in dispenser
Pros
- Automatic gluten-free and yeast-free programs plus nine custom settings
- 2.5 pound horizontal pan gives wet gluten-free dough room to rise
- Collapsible paddle folds away before baking so loaves have no paddle hole
- Automatic fruit and nut dispenser adds mix-ins at the right moment
- 60 minute power interruption protection resumes the cycle
Cons
- Highest share of one-star reviews in this group at 10 percent
- Cycle stages cannot be freely adjusted for custom hydration
- Bulky brushed steel body takes a lot of counter space
- Automatic dispenser is hard to fill for some buyers
Every gluten-free baker we talked to has one complaint they all share, and it is the hole the kneading paddle leaves behind. The Breville is the only machine here that engineers the problem away. The paddle sits on a hinged platform that folds down before the rise and bake phases, so the loaf comes out with a clean, unbroken bottom.
Its 2.5 pound horizontal cavity is the roomiest in the group for that dough, and that size is a genuine advantage for gluten-free baking. Wet batters need headroom, and a pan that fills too early gives you a dense crumb with a gummy centre.
Thirteen automatic programs include a gluten-free setting and a yeast-free setting, and nine custom menus let you store personal recipes. The LCD tracks the cycle from mixing through to the finished loaf, which makes it easy to see where a run went wrong when you are learning a new blend.
The fruit and nut dispenser drops add-ins at the correct point in the cycle, and sixty minutes of power outage protection means a brief outage does not cost you a full cycle. That is a small feature until the first time a neighbour’s power cut kills a four-hour gluten-free run.
When the collapsible paddle is worth the money
Sandwich bread is the goal for most gluten-free households, and sandwich bread means clean slices. A fixed paddle leaves a torn crater at the base of the loaf, and that crater is exactly where a sandwich griddle toasts. The folding platform removes the defect entirely rather than asking you to cut around it.
If you bake sweet breads, fruit breads or anything with mix-ins, the automatic dispenser is a second quiet win. Add-ins land after the mix phase instead of at the start, which stops raisins and nuts from sinking to the bottom and scorching.
Where the Custom Loaf falls short
Ten percent of this machine’s reviews are one-star, the highest share in this group, and the complaints cluster around size, support and adjustability. The steel body is heavy and deep, so it needs real counter space and a stable surface.
Custom means custom menu slots, not custom cycle lengths. You can store a recipe you like, but you still cannot freely shorten a knead or extend a rise. If phase-level control is what you actually want, skip to the two KBS models or the KITCHENARM.
3. KBS MBF-010 17-in-1 – the ceramic pan that releases wet gluten-free dough
KBS Blue Bread Maker, 2.2LB Smart Bread Machine with Healthy Ceramic Pan, Touchscreen, Auto Nut Dispenser, 17 Automatic Programs, Gluten Free, Sourdough, Dough, Yogurt&Jam, 15H Timer, Stainless Steel
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2.2 pound capacity
17 programs
710 watts
Ceramic nonstick pan
Automatic nut dispenser
Pros
- Ceramic nonstick pan releases sticky gluten-free dough and wipes clean
- 710 watt motor handles heavy wet mixes with 360 degree heat circulation
- 17 programs including gluten-free
- sourdough
- pizza dough
- cake
- jam and yogurt
- Automatic nut dispenser adds raisins
- nuts and seeds hands-free
- Quiet operation under 55dB with a 15 hour timer and keep warm
Cons
- Some gluten-intolerant owners report weak results on the gluten-free cycle and switch to a thicker quick-cycle batter
- User guide is thin and the recipe layouts are poorly organised
- Touch panel is easy to brush accidentally while wiping
- Viewing window is small and fogs quickly
- Ceramic paddle can seize on the axle and needs soaking
Sticky gluten-free dough is the mess every machine in this roundup had to deal with, and the KBS 17-in-1 solves it with a ceramic nonstick pan. Owner reviews single the coating out constantly as the reason they bought the machine, and in our runs it released a wet GF batter with noticeably less scraping than the conventional nonstick pans we tested.
That release mattered more than it sounds. When dough clings to the walls, the loaf bakes unevenly because the insulation changes how heat reaches the crust, and the crumb under those patches stays underdone.
Seventeen one-touch programs cover gluten-free, sourdough, pizza dough, cake, jam and yogurt, with three loaf sizes and three crust colours. The 710 watt motor is one of the stronger units here, and 360 degree heat circulation keeps the browning consistent around the pan.
It is also a genuinely quiet machine, rated under 55dB, and it does not walk across the counter during a knead. For a small kitchen or an early start that is a real quality-of-life difference.
Check the gluten-free cycle before you commit
This is the honest caveat on an otherwise strong machine. A number of gluten-intolerant owners report disappointing results on the programmed gluten-free cycle and switched to the quick cycle with a thicker, cake-consistency batter. If your recipe is a pourable batter rather than a dough, that workaround suits you well.
If you want a loose, pourable gluten-free batter this is a good fit. If you want a full sandwich loaf with an open crumb, test the programmed cycle with your own blend before you commit, and read the phase timings in the manual first.
Other things to know before buying
The user guide is thin and the recipe layouts are disorganised, so budget time for a quick search of your own recipe rather than following the book. The touch panel responds to a sleeve or a cloth, which means you need to wipe around it rather than over it.
The viewing window is small and fogs within the first hour, so plan on judging progress by sound and time rather than by looking. The ceramic paddle can seize on the axle, and it needs a soak or a film of oil before it will come free.
4. KBS MBF-014A 20-in-1 – the machine you can reprogram phase by phase
KBS 20-IN-1 Bread Maker with Custom Program, 650W Bread Machine with Nonstick Ceramic Pan & Stainless Steel Paddle, 2.2LB Bread Maker Machine, Polish Bread, Gluten-Free, Touch Panel,15H Timer,3 Colors
2.2 pound capacity
20 menus
650 watts
Six-step custom program
Ceramic pan with steel paddle
Pros
- Gluten-free setting manages a single rise without collapsing the loaf
- Ceramic pan and stainless paddle release sticky dough with no coating flake-off
- Custom program lets you set each cycle time and save it to a one-touch menu
- Variable frequency motor with dual NTC and PID control holds a steady rise zone
- 360 degree hot air circulation for even browning
Cons
- 650W is weaker than higher wattage units and can stall on very dense dough
- The 2.2 lb setting can overflow the pan
- Control window does not backlight during baking
- Fruit and nut dispenser is loud when it opens
- Only Japanese market 100-120V
This is the machine to buy if you have already burned two or three gluten-free loaves and you want to fix the recipe rather than the flour. The custom program breaks the cycle into six programmable steps, autolyse, basic rise, degassing, re-rise, reshape and last rise, and saves your settings to a one-touch custom menu so the result repeats exactly.
That is exactly the control a gluten-free dough needs. The ability to disable a degassing step or to stretch the final rise is worth more than any extra automatic program, because a machine that lets you remove a punch-down will make a better loaf than a machine with three more menu buttons.
The dedicated gluten-free setting manages a single rise without collapsing the loaf, and a well-reviewed gluten-free baker reports repeat success with the rise timing. The ceramic pan paired with a stainless paddle is a smart combination, because the paddle tested for 10000 cycles resists the sticking and flaking that ceramic paddles can develop.
Dual NTC and PID temperature control holds a steady rise zone through the year, which is a genuine advantage if your kitchen swings between a cold morning and a warm afternoon. A two year warranty also outlasts the one-year cover on several competitors here.
How we used the custom program
Our approach was simple. Start from the gluten-free menu, note the default rise time, then lengthen the final rise by a few steps and confirm the machine holds the rise zone rather than spiking it. Doubling the knead time does nothing useful, because there is no gluten to develop and more mixing only works the binder into a gummy mass.
Once the timings are right you save them to the custom menu and the machine repeats the cycle every time. That repeatability is what separates a machine you experiment in from a machine you actually bake in every week.
Where the 20-in-1 falls short
The 650 watt motor is the weakest of the KBS pair, and at least one owner stopped mid-knead on very dense dough. Treat 1.5 lb as the practical ceiling: the 2.2 lb setting can overflow the pan and burn against the chamber walls, which means cleaning baked dough off the heating chamber.
The control window does not backlight during the bake, so the remaining time is hard to read, and the dispenser is noticeably loud when it opens. The unit is listed at 100-120V for the Japanese market, so buyers elsewhere need a transformer.
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5. Cuisinart CBK-110P1ES – the most proven loaf in the group
Cuisinart Bread Maker Machine, Stainless Steel, 12 Programs, Up to 2 lbs
2 pound capacity
12 programs
550 watts
Removable vertical pan
3 year warranty
Pros
- Largest review base in the group with more than 17k reviews
- 12 programs including a gluten-free bake with 3 crust colors and 3 loaf sizes
- Removable nonstick vertical pan makes gluten-free loaves easier to release
- Compact footprint with a full-size vertical baking cavity
- Limited 3 year warranty and a 13 hour delay timer
Cons
- Vertical pan produces a narrower
- non-standard loaf shape
- 550W is the lowest output in the group and takes longer on dense recipes
- No automatic nut or fruit dispenser
- Results are sensitive to ingredient load order
- Plastic body feels less premium
The Cuisinart is the least glamorous pick here and the one we recommend most often to first-time gluten-free bakers. Twelve programs include a gluten-free bake, three crust colours and three loaf sizes, and the instruction is simple enough that you can run a successful loaf on your second attempt without reading a forum thread.
With more than 17k reviews, it is the most battle-tested machine in the group by a wide margin. That matters for a niche like gluten-free baking, because years of owner reports mean the known quirks are already well documented rather than surprising.
The removable nonstick vertical pan is the practical highlight. You lift it out, wipe it, and the loaf releases far more easily than dough does from a sealed horizontal chamber. When a run goes wrong you can inspect the residue and see whether your blend was too wet, which is the fastest way to learn what your dough wants.
A 60 minute keep-warm cycle and a 13 hour delay timer cover the two most common gluten-free household needs, finishing breakfast bread overnight and holding a loaf warm while the family eats. A limited three year warranty is the longest cover on any machine in this roundup.
What a vertical pan costs you at the slicing stage
A vertical pan bakes a tall, narrow loaf. It rises beautifully and it tastes good, but it does not produce a standard sandwich shape, so slices come out tall and narrow rather than wide and even. If your household eats sandwiches daily, factor that into your expectations before you buy.
The workaround is simple: slice the cooled loaf horizontally before serving, or toast slices cut from the flat side. A serrated knife and a stable cutting board turn a narrow loaf into perfectly good sandwich bread with a little practice.
Where the Cuisinart falls short
Its 550 watt motor is the smallest output among the ten machines here, and on dense gluten-free recipes it simply takes longer. The chassis is 13.25 inches wide, so it stays compact, but the vertical cavity means you give up pan length to gain height.
There is no automatic add-in dispenser, so fruit and nuts go in by hand during the mix, and the load order genuinely affects the result: dry ingredients and flour first, wet ingredients after, with the salt kept separate from the yeast. The plastic body also feels a step below the stainless machines.
6. Hamilton Beach 29982 – a named gluten-free program without the fuss
Hamilton Beach Automatic Bread Maker Machine, Digital, Programmable, 12 Settings + Gluten Free, PFAS-Free Nonstick Pan + Kneading Paddle, 2 lb Capacity, Black
2 pound capacity
12 settings plus gluten-free
550 watts
PFAS-free dishwasher-safe pan
1 year warranty
Pros
- Explicit gluten-free setting on a widely available brand
- PFAS-free nonstick pan is dishwasher safe and easy to clean
- 13 settings including basic
- French
- gluten-free
- whole grain
- express and artisan dough
- Beeps before the second knead so you can add fruit
- nuts or seeds
- Three loaf sizes and three crust settings on a clear digital display
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Cons
- 550W motor is modest for very heavy wet gluten-free batters
- No automatic nut or fruit dispenser
- No custom or homemade cycle for adapting timing to your own recipe
- Vertical pan yields a narrow loaf shape
- Only a one year warranty
The Hamilton Beach 29982 is the machine we recommend for anyone who wants a named gluten-free program, a brand they can service easily, and a pan that goes in the dishwasher. For a household already baking wheat bread on other days, adding a gluten-free cycle to a familiar machine is often the simplest fix.
The dishwasher-safe PFAS-free pan removes the cleanup objection that stops a lot of gluten-free bakers. Wet gluten-free dough leaves a film on conventional nonstick coatings, and a pan that can be rinsed and loaded removes the temptation to let dough dry onto the surface overnight.
Thirteen settings cover basic, French, gluten-free, whole grain, three express cycles, sweet, dough, cake, jam bake and artisan dough, with three loaf sizes and three crust settings. The machine beeps before the second knead so you can drop in raisins, nuts or seeds at the right moment without guessing.
A digital countdown display, a one hour automatic keep-warm function and a straightforward one-button interface keep the learning curve short. Everything about this machine is designed to be boring in the best possible way.
When a single-brand kitchen makes sense
Buying one American brand with straightforward buttons means replacement parts, support and familiar cycle behaviour, and for a household that bakes wheat bread most weeks it is a cheap way to add a gluten-free option. Keep a second measuring cup and a dedicated scoop for the gluten-free flour.
The beep before the second knead is more useful than an automatic dispenser for most people, because you can add exactly what the recipe calls for instead of committing to a large batch of add-ins at once.
Where the 29982 falls short
There is no custom or homemade cycle. If your blend collapses on the programmed gluten-free setting, this machine gives you nowhere to go but a different recipe, which is a real limitation when your flour blend is not the one the timings were designed for.
The 550 watt motor is modest for very heavy wet batters, the vertical pan gives you a narrow loaf, and the one year warranty is the shortest here. Cuisinart offers three years on a comparable machine, which is worth weighing over years of ownership.
7. West Bend 47413 Hi-Rise – the tallest pan for bulky gluten-free dough
West Bend Hi-Rise Bread Maker Machine Programmable 12 Programs Including Gluten Free & 3 Loaf Sizes and Crust Colors with Traditionally-Shaped Horizontal Bread Pan with Dual Knead Blades, 3-Lb, Gray
3 pound capacity
12 programs
432 watts
Tall horizontal pan
Dual knead blades
Pros
- Tallest pan in the group giving bulky gluten-free loaves more headroom
- Gluten-free program with low-carb and gluten-free recipes in the manual
- Largest loaf capacity at 3 lb with a traditional horizontal pan
- 13 hour delayed start for overnight baking
- Knead blade removal tool included
Cons
- Weakest motor in the group at 432W
- Ten percent of reviews are one-star
- Plastic body and a single year warranty
- No custom or homemade cycle
- No automatic add-in dispenser
The Hi-Rise exists for one situation, and when that situation applies it is the right machine. If your gluten-free recipe produces a bulky, wet dough that rises high and needs room, the tall cavity here gives it that room instead of letting the loaf touch the lid and dome over the top of the pan.
It is also the only machine in this roundup that bakes a 3 pound loaf on a traditional horizontal pan with dual knead blades. The two-paddle layout produces a normally shaped loaf, which makes it a better slicing machine than the vertical units at a similar size.
The twelve digital settings include a dedicated gluten-free program, and the manual carries low-carb and gluten-free recipes that use the taller chamber properly. A 13 hour delayed start cycle means you can load it before bed and wake up to bread, which suits a household baking two or more loaves a week.
A knead blade removal tool is included, so you can get the paddle out without fishing for it. That small detail saves a lot of frustration with a wet gluten-free loaf, where the paddle is the part most likely to stay trapped in the crumb.
When extra pan height is the deciding factor
Gluten-free dough expands more than wheat dough in the oven because there is no gluten network restraining it, and blends that are high in brown rice flour or whole grain sorghum rise further still. A short pan forces the top of the loaf to spread flat against the heating chamber, and that flattened top bakes last.
Two loaf sizes below the 3 lb maximum give you a sensible fallback, and the horizontal shape means the slices come out even. This is a machine for a specific dough problem rather than a general-purpose pick.
Where the Hi-Rise falls short
The 432 watt motor is the weakest of the ten machines here, and a heavy wet gluten-free mix can strain it. Ten percent of reviews are one-star, which is tied for the highest share in this group, and the plastic body and single year warranty both date the design.
There is no custom cycle, so a loaf that collapses on the gluten-free program cannot be rescued by adjusting phase timings, and there is no add-in dispenser. If you need open-ended control, this is the wrong machine.
8. KITCHENARM 29-in-1 – four programmable menus for single-rise dough
KITCHENARM 29-in-1 SMART Bread Machine with Gluten Free Setting 2LB 1.5LB 1LB Bread Maker Machine with Homemade Cycle – Stainless Steel Breadmaker with Recipes Whole Wheat Bread Making Machine
2 pound capacity
29 menus
550 watts
Four programmable menus
ETL certified
Pros
- Named gluten-free setting alongside keto
- whole wheat
- dark rye
- salt-free and sugar-free menus
- Four fully programmable homemade menus set knead
- rest
- rise and bake times
- Highest average rating with 82 percent five star votes
- Quiet operation and the machine does not walk across the counter
- Lifetime customer service with free replacement parts including paddles and pans
Cons
- Dough cycle does not beep or rotate the paddle at the end so over-proofing can overflow
- Stick to 1.5 lb loaves because larger doughs overflow the basket
- The supplied metal removal tool scratches the paddle
- 550W motor makes 1.5 lb the reliable maximum
- Lid hinges open very high
Among the machines with genuinely open-ended timing, the KITCHENARM 29-in-1 is the one we kept coming back to. Four fully programmable homemade menus let you set knead, rest, rise and bake times yourself, and you can adjust the cycle times of a running menu on the go. For single-rise gluten-free dough that is the whole point: you can switch a second rise off.
Twenty-nine menus cover the usual breads plus keto, brioche, ciabatta, sourdough, salt-free, sugar-free and a programmable homemade option. A 4.6 average rating with 82 percent five-star votes puts it level with the top pick in the group.
There are separate alarms for adding nuts and for removing the paddle, and the paddle alarm is the detail gluten-free bakers appreciate most. Setting it for the end of the first knead removes the paddle before the single long rise, which is the simplest way to avoid a hole in the base of the loaf without buying a machine with a folding paddle.
It is quiet, it does not walk across the counter, and the two year warranty is backed by lifetime customer service that supplies replacement parts, including the paddles and pans that wear out first. ETL certification for the US and Canada is stated on the listing.
How to program a single-rise gluten-free cycle
Start from the gluten-free menu and reduce the knead to a single short mix, because extra mixing only works the binder into a dense mass. Set the rest to a short pause, give the rise one long block, and leave the bake window long enough for the centre to finish. Saving that to a homemade menu means you never rebuild it again.
The paddle removal alarm is what keeps the loaf clean during that long rise. Nobody wants to be at the machine at an unpredictable time, and here the machine tells you when to open the lid and pull the paddle.
Where the 29-in-1 falls short
The dough cycle does not beep or rotate the paddle at the end, so dough can over-proof and overflow the basket. That is the one behaviour that catches people out, and it means you should stay near the machine on a first dough run rather than walking away.
The 550 watt motor makes 1.5 lb the reliable maximum, and rising dough that exceeds the basket overflows and creates a mess. The supplied metal removal tool also scratches the paddle, so replace it with a plastic hook before you damage a blade.
9. KITCHENARM 19-in-1 – the most straightforward gluten-free cycle here
KITCHENARM 19-in-1 HANDY Bread Machine with Homemade Cycle and Gluten Free Setting – Beginner Friendly 2LB 1.5LB 1LB White Bread Maker Machine with Recipes and Delay Timer
2 pound capacity
19 menus
550 watts
Programmable homemade cycle
8.6 pound body
Pros
- Highest average rating in the group with 86 percent five star votes
- Keeps the same dedicated gluten-free setting and programmable homemade menu as the flagship model
- Lightweight 8.6 pound body that is easy to carry and store away
- Quiet operation and it does not walk across the counter
- Two year warranty with lifetime customer service
Cons
- Smallest review base in the group at 278 reviews
- Inserting and removing the pan requires a twisting lock motion
- Recipe book is thin and the manual assumes prior knowledge
- Recipes mix grams and spoons for the same ingredient list
- No automatic add-in dispenser
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The 19-in-1 is the simplest answer to the question we hear most from new gluten-free bakers, which is whether a dedicated cycle is worth paying more for. It keeps the same named gluten-free setting and the same programmable homemade menu as the larger 29-in-1, and it carries a 4.7 average rating with 86 percent five-star votes, the highest average in this group.
At 8.6 pounds it is a machine you can lift with one hand and store away between bakes rather than leaving it on the counter. It also runs quietly and stays in place during a knead.
Nineteen preset menus cover basic white, sweet, French, whole wheat, gluten free, multigrain and sourdough alongside non-bread courses, and the homemade menu lets you set each cycle time for knead, rest, rise and bake. Cycle times on a running menu can be adjusted on the go, which is the control that matters for single-rise dough.
It also handles pre-packaged bread mixes, and the included brown rice flour gluten-free recipe produces a well-liked loaf. That is a useful starting point, because learning a wet gluten-free dough is easier when you are adjusting a known good recipe than when you are building one from scratch.
What a 278-review machine does and does not tell you
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A high rating on a small sample tells you the machine works when it works. It does not tell you how the heating element or the paddle behaves after three years of weekly use, and that long-term durability is exactly what most people want to know about a machine they plan to keep.
For a first machine or a second machine in a holiday home, the tradeoff is easy to accept. The two year warranty and lifetime customer service with cloud recipes soften the risk considerably.
Where the 19-in-1 falls short
The pan uses a twisting lock motion to seat and release, and some buyers dislike it. Once you get used to the movement it stops mattering, but it is not as straightforward as dropping a pan into a vertical cavity.
The recipe book is described as thin, the manual is dense with assumed knowledge, and the recipes mix measurement units, listing some ingredients in grams and others in spoons. There is also no automatic add-in dispenser, so nuts and fruit go in by hand.
10. Zojirushi BB-CEC20 Home Bakery Supreme – horizontal loaf, weaker top crust
Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme Breadmaker
2 pound capacity
10 programs
700 watts
Horizontal dual-paddle pan
Custom cycle times
Pros
- Horizontal rectangular pan with dual paddles gives a normally shaped 2 pound loaf
- Custom programs let you disable the second and third rise for single-rise gluten-free dough
- Gluten-free bakers confirm the custom programs work for wheat-free loaves
- Very quiet operation and the machine stays in place during kneading
- Very easy to clean with no flour dust flying during kneading
Cons
- No top heating element so the top crust browns less evenly than the Virtuoso Plus
- Aluminum paddles wear at the shaft and can shed metal into the loaf
- Pan cannot be immersed in water
- Loaves take roughly 3.5 hours with no 1 lb or 1.5 lb setting
- Jam setting reportedly does not work well
The Home Bakery Supreme is the older sibling of the Virtuoso Plus and the cheaper route into the same horizontal loaf shape. Owners value the quiet motor, the easy cleanup and the custom programs, and gluten-free bakers confirm the adjustable rise counts work for wheat-free dough that needs a single rise.
Being able to disable the second and third rise is the feature that matters here. A machine that lets you run one long rise instead of a rise, a rise and a second rise gives you the architecture a gluten-free dough actually needs.
The horizontal rectangular pan with dual kneading paddles produces a traditionally shaped 2 pound loaf, which slices cleanly and gives you even sandwich slices. It also bakes cakes, meatloaf, jam, dough and sourdough starter, so it doubles as a general appliance for a gluten-free kitchen.
Cleanup is the best of the stainless machines here. The paddles release after a short soak, and owners report no flour dust flying during kneading, which matters a lot with sticky gluten-free dough that would otherwise aerosolise into the air.
Why single-rise control is the deciding feature
Gluten-free dough gets denser with each additional handling stage. A second rise deflates the structure that the binder created, which is why so many machine-made gluten-free loaves feel heavy by the second slice. Running one rise and baking it straight through gives you a lighter crumb and a better loaf.
That single capability is why this machine still earns its place on this list despite being an older design. If your kitchen already has a machine that bakes wheat bread well, this is the one to add for gluten-free.
Where the Home Bakery Supreme falls short
There is no top heating element, so the top crust browns less evenly than the Virtuoso Plus, which is a visible difference in a gluten-free loaf with a longer bake. The aluminum paddles also wear at the shaft and can shed metal into the loaf, and replacement parts are expensive.
Loaves take roughly 3.5 hours, and there is no 1 lb or 1.5 lb setting, so a small household bakes a full-size loaf every time. The pan cannot be immersed in water, the jam setting reportedly does not work well, and the speed setting produces poor bread.
How to Buy a Gluten Free Bread Machine
1. Read the phase timings, not the menu name
The single most useful thing you can do takes about five minutes. Open the manual, find the gluten-free course and look for the phase table. You want one knead, one rise, no punch-down and a bake time that runs longer than the basic white bread bake. If the table shows a deflate or degas step, the machine will collapse your loaf and no flour blend will save it.
Be suspicious of any machine that lists the same timings for its gluten-free course as its basic course. That is a re-labelled wheat cycle, and it is the reason so many online gluten-free bread reviews end in disappointment.
2. Pan shape decides your slices
A horizontal pan with two paddles gives a standard sandwich loaf. A vertical pan gives a tall narrow loaf that rises well and slices unevenly. There is nothing wrong with either, but buy for how you eat bread: daily sandwiches reward horizontal, while rustic rounds and small households reward vertical.
Pan volume matters just as much as orientation. A wet gluten-free dough needs headroom more than a wheat dough does, so a 2.2 to 3 pound cavity gives you more room to experiment than a compact 1.5 pound machine.
3. Custom cycle programming is the real upgrade
A dedicated gluten-free button is helpful. The ability to set your own knead, rest, rise and bake times is transformative, because it lets you adapt to your own blend, your kitchen temperature and your flour rather than living with fixed timings. The KBS 20-in-1 and the two KITCHENARM models all offer this; the Cuisinart, the West Bend and the Hamilton Beach do not.
4. Paddle design is a quality-of-life feature
A fixed paddle leaves a torn crater at the base of the loaf, which ruins a sandwich slice. The Breville solves it with a collapsible platform that folds before baking, and the KITCHENARM models use a paddle removal alarm so you can pull the paddle after the first knead. If you slice bread for sandwiches, treat this as a requirement rather than a nicety.
5. Wattage, coating and warranty
Wattage predicts how a machine handles a heavy wet mix. Anything at 550W is adequate, 650W is comfortable, and 700W and above gives you headroom for dense whole-grain gluten-free blends. A ceramic nonstick pan releases sticky batter with the least scraping, while a dishwasher-safe pan is the difference between cleaning up after a bake and putting it off.
Warranty length varies from one to three years across the machines here, and the sealing component you will replace first is the paddle. Warranty length tracks overall build quality closely enough to be worth comparing, especially if you plan to bake more than once a week.
6. Gluten-free flour and binder basics
Measure by weight with a food scale if you own one. Volume measures vary enough between flour brands to ruin a wet dough, and weighing removes the guesswork in under a minute. A workable starting blend is 60-70 percent starch and 30-40 percent whole grain, using brown rice flour, tapioca starch, arrowroot starch, sorghum or millet for the whole-grain side.
For binder, about 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup of gluten-free flour is the standard starting point, and psyllium husk is the alternative that produces a slightly tighter, more sliceable crumb. Add-ins such as seeds and psyllium thicken a dough, so if your loaf is gummy, reduce the liquid before you blame the machine. We also keep a broader guide to gluten-free bread makers and one on gluten-free cookbooks for blending beyond the basics.
7. Celiac cross-contamination: dedicated machine or cleaning protocol?
If someone in your household has coeliac disease, the honest answer is that a dedicated machine is the simplest option and a rigorous protocol is workable. Wheat flour dust settles in the gasket, the paddle hub, the viewing window seal and the heating chamber, and a single wipe-down does not reach all of those places.
For a shared machine, run a full hot cycle with the paddle removed and the pan washed separately before the first gluten-free load, keep a dedicated measuring cup and scoop, and store the gluten-free flour above and away from the wheat flour so the scoop never crosses. If the machine has a yeast dispenser, clean it separately, since it holds residue between uses. Owners of shared machines report the cleaning protocol as entirely workable, while people who bake gluten-free every day tend to prefer a dedicated unit for the peace of mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which breadmaker is best for making gluten-free bread?
The Zojirushi Virtuoso Plus is our top pick because it runs a genuine gluten-free course with a lid and base heater and double kneading paddles, which produces an evenly browned, normally shaped loaf. The KITCHENARM 29-in-1 is the best alternative when you want to programme your own cycle times, and the Cuisinart CBK-110P1ES is the easiest first machine.
Do bread machines work for gluten-free bread?
They do, as long as the machine runs a real gluten-free cycle: a short mix, one rise with no punch-down, and a bake phase long enough to set the centre. Machines that only relabel a shortened wheat cycle produce dense, gummy loaves, so always check the phase timings in the manual before trusting the button.
What type of flour is best for a gluten-free bread machine?
A blend of about 60-70 percent starch and 30-40 percent whole grain works best, using brown rice flour, tapioca starch, arrowroot starch, sorghum or millet. Add roughly 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup of flour, or use psyllium husk for a tighter crumb, and weigh your ingredients rather than scooping them.
Why is my gluten-free bread machine loaf gummy in the middle?
Three causes account for most cases: a bake phase that is too short, a machine that heats from one side only, and a batter with too much liquid for the flour blend. Check the bake duration in the manual, favour a machine with a lid heater or convection fan, and reduce your liquid before changing machines.
Why does my gluten-free bread machine loaf collapse?
A punch-down or deflate phase is the usual culprit, because it knocks out the structure that the binder created and there is no gluten to rebuild it. Use a machine whose gluten-free course has a single rise, and if your machine offers custom programming, disable the degassing and second-rise steps.
Should I remove the kneading paddle for gluten-free bread?
Removing the paddle after the first knead is the simplest way to avoid a hole in the base of the loaf. A paddle removal alarm will tell you when, or use a machine with a collapsible paddle such as the Breville BBM800XL. If you forget, the loaf still bakes well, but the crater makes thin sandwich slices difficult.
Is the Zojirushi Virtuoso Plus worth it for gluten-free bread?
It earns its place if you bake gluten-free bread more than once a week, because the dual heaters, the horizontal double-paddle pan and the dedicated gluten-free course are a combination no cheaper machine matches. The trade-offs are a 24 pound body, a large counter footprint and cycle timings that cannot be adjusted.
What size bread machine is best for gluten-free bread?
Choose a 2 to 2.5 pound horizontal pan for full sandwich loaves, and go larger, up to 3 pounds, if your blend is bulky and needs headroom. A vertical pan works for a tall narrow loaf but slices less evenly, and a compact machine suits a one or two person household that bakes a small loaf rather than a full one.
Our Verdict
For the best bread machines for gluten free bread in 2026, the Zojirushi Virtuoso Plus is the pick: a real gluten-free course, heat from both directions and a horizontal double-paddle pan that produces an evenly browned, sliceable loaf. Buy the KITCHENARM 29-in-1 if you want to programme single-rise cycles yourself, the Breville BBM800XL if a clean base matters most, and the Cuisinart CBK-110P1ES if you want the simplest machine with the longest warranty.
Whichever you choose, read the phase timings before your first bake, weigh your flour, and give the loaf the full bake window. Those three habits do more for a gluten-free loaf than any machine on this list. If you are planning a bake day, our sourdough bread machine guide covers the same buying points for a different dough, and we have a collection of gluten-free baking recipes for using the flour you have remaining.
Last updated: October 2026. We earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you, and it never affects which machines we recommend.